Fico: Meeting with Hungarian Premier Orban Friendly and Spontaneous (2)

Bratislava, January 21 (TASR) - Spontaneous, friendly and content-rich, such was according to Prime Minister Robert Fico (Smer-SD) his Tuesday meeting with Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban in Bratislava. Fico invited Orban to an official visit of Slovakia on March 19, so as to commemorate the 30th anniversary of The Agreement on Good Neighbourly Ties and Friendly Cooperation Between the Slovak Republic and Hungary. "I'm glad that the quality of Slovak-Hungarian ties is at the highest level possible and that the Hungarian-Slovak cohabitation is no longer a political issue. We find common ground in our shared opinions not only on developments in our countries but also in the international arena," stated Fico. "We discussed the current situation in the European Union and the first steps of new US President Donald Trump," claimed Fico, adding that he shares many similar views with Trump on issues such as migration and the family. Fico informed Orban about the current activities of the Slovak opposition and claimed that it is preparing a 'Maidan' revolution in Slovakia, with plans to occupy government buildings and coordinate its activities with entities abroad. "Even here, at this meeting, I underline that the EU and NATO remain our living space, but we have a right to be critical," said Fico, adding that both Bratislava and Budapest are aware of their responsibility to prepare their countries for various scenarios that might occur in the EU. Fico apprised Orban of his plan to anchor in the Slovak Constitution that only two genders exist: man and woman. The Hungarian Prime Minister agreed that ties between Slovakia and Hungary are of high quality and accentuated that both countries are EU and NATO members. "And that's how it will remain," he said. Orban shares with Fico the view that the world is dynamically changing and believes that, with the re-election of Donald Trump as the US President, Slovakia and Hungary are becoming part of a new mainstream in the Western world. "The Western world stands on two feet - European and American - and when it comes to views on migration and the family, as articulated by the new US President, whose opinions are in alignment with ours, we're becoming part of the Western world's new mainstream ideas," said Orban. He reiterated that Hungary has an interest in the war in Ukraine ending in the quickest way possible and lambasted what he saw as attempts to prolong the conflict as well as anti-Russian sanctions that damage the interests of EU members, including Hungary and Slovakia. "That's why we're glad Mr. Fico spoke loudly with his criticism of the shutdown of the gas transit through Ukraine and drew attention to its adverse impacts on Europe," he claimed. Both Prime Ministers voiced support for Ukraine's EU membership, provided that Ukraine meets all the requirements first, but rejected Kiev's bid to join NATO. mf/mcs